Pilates for thinner and toned you

By Vani Vyas
, Jagran Cityplus

Dec 30, 2010

543214.8 / 5(4 Ratings)

Fitness buffs are always on the lookout for something new. If you are worn out of your regular exercise, then here is something which you can try. Pilates is a body conditioning programme which is popular worldwide and now it is fast gaining fans in India. It increases circulation and gives you a sculpt body, building flexibility, endurance and strength. People who do pilates regularly feel that they have better posture, are less prone to injury and experience better overall health.

Pilates is generally a German name and it is popularly called as inch loss workout. It is based on ABC theory. A - means awareness to know about yourself and your body. B stands for breathing to improve vitality and C is control, you control your movements and postures while working out," explains Bharat, Pilates trainer.

"Pilate is a complete body workout. It is a core training programme for abs, back and oblique muscles. It strengthens your muscles and your body to the core. While practicing Pilates, one need to pay attention on breathing, concentration and balance," adds Namita Aggarwal, Pilates Trainer, Fitness Fusion.

Benefits

"Pilates is best for those who are looking for fast results in terms of weight loss. This workout can actually provide you stone flat stomach. Along with that you can achieve toned and sculpted body. The exercises in Pilates are such they help you to use abs muscles, pelvic floor muscles so properly that whatever fat you have it melts. It is totally injury free workout. There is no specific age, anybody who is above 12 of years of age can practice it," says Namita.

"In Pilates, you can transform your body completely. It gives you strong, toned body and at the same time it calms you from inside. There are different ways of practising this amazing workout like working in the gym with the machine or on the mat or with some tools like fit ball and blocks," adds Bharat. Some of the exercises in Pilates are - single leg stretch, hundred pumps, leg circles, double leg stretch, rolling like ball, etc.

How it is different from other workouts?

"In other exercises like yoga, there are static postures but in Pilates you need to constantly shift from one exercise to another. Also, in yoga you perform while inhaling and exhaling whereas in Pilates you prepare yourself during inhale and perform when you exhale. Pilates is more about visualisation, control, balance and precision," explains Namita Aggarwal, Pilates Trainer, Fitness Fusion.

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